The Past Can Hurt - Book 1: Philosopher's Stone

Silence.

Not a single sound was heard across the hall. Just who had sent these mysterious books?

Dumbledore grabbed the first book to start the reading, but it wouldn’t open, releasing that Harry still hadn’t given permission for the books to be read. He looks towards Harry only to see him asleep with a large black dog on his lap. 

“Mr Potter?” 

At his name, everyone but the boy moves slightly. Ron and Hermione chuckle at everyone as they are suddenly looking at their boyfriend. Ron lightly pokes Harry on the shoulder, “Harry, c’mon, wake up,” “hmm?” Harry sleepily looks at Ron in confusion, “wha?”

“They need your verbal confirmation to read the books, Harry.” 

“What ‘Mione said, Haz.”

“Can I think about it? I mean, it’s my fucking life being outed to the public.”

He stands up and walks out of the hall with his hands in his jeans pockets, not caring that he left without a reply. Ron and Hermione look at each other and quickly follow him.

Everyone but Remus and Snuffles looked at the door, dumbfounded. What just happened?

Once a couple of hallways down, Harry stopped and leaned against a wall, only for his 5ft 8 lithe, skinny form to slide down it, his light brown skin paling slightly as his hands shook and his body filled with anxiety. His heavily scarred hands run down his face as he lets out a largely defeated sigh.

Hermione and Ron rush around the corner to see their partner on the floor curled up. Hermione sighs, walking up to him, and her 5ft 6 form sits to the right of him. She runs her rich black hands through his raven hair while Ron slides his 5ft 10 strong frame on Harry’s left. His tanned white freckled hand pulled Harry’s head to his chest and rubbed his hand up and down his back. 

“You wanna talk about it?”

Harry shakes his head at Ron’s question, his mouth dry and the thought of saying anything, and even if he did want to talk, he doesn’t think he could.

“That’s okay, Harry. When you're ready.”

And so they sat there. Ron and Hermione quietly discussed the books as Harry listened. They’d been sitting there for at least an hour before they heard light footsteps and the clicking of nails on the stone ground. 

Remus and Sirius!

Harry moved his head up slightly to see them rounding the corner. Remus’s relief was too much, so Harry ducked his head back into Ron’s chest. Hemione’s curly, bushy deep brown hair whipped up from where it was lent against Ron’s shoulder as Remus sat in front of them with a small smile.

“I put up a ward and a charm so we know if anyone is coming.” 

“Thank you.” A small voice came from Ron’s chest, “sorry for being a bother.”

“You're not a bother, Harry, and you never will be, especially not to Sirius or me. We love you very much.”

A small smile graced Harry’s face, “d’ya think I should give permission to read the books? I don’t know what they’ll tell, and the only good thing that will come of it is that Sirius will be able to be free, and they’ll know Voldemort is back and, and-”

Ron’s hand strokes Harry’s neck to soothe his anxious rambling and thoughts. It works.

“It’s up to you, Harry, mate. If you don’t want them to read them, we will make sure they’re not read. Plus, if they tried, I’m sure our Hermione would plan something drastic!”

“Mmm, ‘Mione would. She’s the best.”

Hermione’s cheeks felt heated, and she shoved her face into Ron’s collar to escape the embarrassment of being complimented. They all had a problem with being complimented on, from how their childhoods and homelives were. While Ron and Hermione weren’t treated like Harry, they were neglected in ways a child shouldn’t have been.

“I think I’m gonna give permission, oh um, Remus, Sirius, there was part of the letter I didn’t read out… It said... I- it.” Harry looked up towards Ron, his tired bright emerald eyes begging him to tell them.

“What Haz is trying to say is that the letter said that whenever he’s in pain in the books, he’s in pain here. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can do anything about it, but as long as that section is read quickly, I believe he’ll be in pain less.”

“Alright… We’re proud of you, Harry. Lily and James would be proud of you too, isn’t that right Sir-Snuffles?”

Bark!

“Over there!” Ginny. 

Harry pushes his face into Ron’s chest once more and groans in despair at Ginny’s voice. She just kept following him. Everywhere he looked, it was like she was there!

“Harry! My Boy! There you are. We were waiting for you to come back so we could read!”

Did he just assume that the books were going to be read?

“He’s sleeping, Headmaster Dumbledore. We mustn't disturb him.”

Hermione to the rescue.

“Well, that won't do, Dear Girl. Wake him at once.”

Dumbledore turns and leaves, not taking Ginny with him.

“What if I wake him, Ron?”

“And just how are you going to do that?”

A moment of silence, “A KISS!”

What the fuck. No way!

“Ginevra. No. I’ve told you Harry doesn’t like you that way, plus he can’t consent to that would be wrong of you to wake him.” Ron, you are the best boyfriend!

“But- Ron!”

“No buts, Ginevra! ‘Mione, would you help me pick Harry up?”

“Sure.”

Once Harry was comfortable in Ron’s arms, they all walked to the great hall, where Harry slowly ‘awoke’. Yawning, Harry looked around only to see Ron’s freckled face and messy ginger hair, “hullo.”

“Hey, sleeping beauty, have a nice rest.”

“Yup. Now put me down.”

Ron puts him down just as Ginny opens the door, and instead of the tables, there are now small areas with beanbags, sofas and such. The Trio head for the corner of beanbags with Remus and Snuffles following them.

The trio all collapse on a single giant green beanbag while Remus and Snuffles take the purple one to the left of them.

The Weasleys all joined their corner, Fred and George taking the blue beanbag on the right of them before Ginny got there.

“Harry, My Boy?”

“Wha’? Oh right. So the fact that you all assumed we were reading these books before even thinking about my opinion was wrong, and you should be ashamed of it. But yeah, sure, whatever, read the damn books.”

Before Dumbledore could open his mouth to take points, the first book floated into the air opening. 

[ Book One: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived ]